Policies

We are unable to guarantee that Adhisthana is a Covid free space. As with any situation where you come together with others, there is a risk of transmission of illness.

We encourage individuals to take personal responsibility for their and others’ health before attending retreats.

If you feel unwell, please be considerate of others’ well-being when deciding whether or not to attend a retreat.

As the rules in England have been removed, and testing is no longer free, we are no longer requiring people to test.

If you feel more comfortable wearing a mask please feel free to wear one at your discretion. Similarly, if you would like to test while you are here please bring your own lateral flow tests as we cannot provide them.

Our deposit is non-refundable and non-transferable under all circumstances, including if you fall ill with covid.

Updated 04/04/2022

Privacy 

Adhisthana is firmly committed to protecting your privacy and aim to be clear with you when we collect your information and use it only as you would reasonably expect. If you have any questions concerning our privacy policy that are not addressed here, please contact us.

Data Controller: Dharmacharini Shubhavyuha

Adhisthana, Coddington, Ledbury, Herefordshire, HR8 1JL admin@adhisthana.org

Information collection and use 

Booking details

Everyone who comes on an event at Adhisthana is required to fill in a booking form. We require this information in order to contact you and to manage the event. Your information is regarded as confidential and is only shared with members of the team as necessary. We store your booking details securely on our online bookings system for up to three years after the event.

Email database

Adhisthana holds a simple database, which we use to send infrequent emails, for example to let you know about upcoming events, fundraising for particular projects, or volunteer or job opportunities. However, we will only do so if you have given us your consent, or if you have given permission to a third party to share data with us. We keep your contact information until you inform us that you no longer wish us to do so. You can unsubscribe at any time by contacting us.

Email communication management system

We use MailChimp as our email communication/marketing automation platform. By continuing to remain on our membership database, you acknowledge that the information you provide will be transferred to MailChimp for processing in accordance with their Privacy Policy and Terms.

How we use your information

We will only use your information where we have a legal basis to do so and will always respect your rights. Where we use your information, it may be because you have consented to us doing so or because we consider we have a legitimate interest to do so, in order to pursue our charitable purpose, and manage ongoing relationship with members and friends of the Triratna Buddhist Community. We may analyse geographic, demographic and other information relating to you in order to better understand your interests and preferences in order to contact you with the most relevant communications. In doing this, we may use additional information from third party sources when it is available.

Examples of data use: 

• To respond to or fulfill any requests, complaints or queries you make to us. We 
will use the information you give to us to handle your enquiry or request. This may include responding to your query or feedback, or sending you relevant information. We may also keep a record of conversations we have with you and feedback you provide. This can help us to handle queries more efficiently.
• To provide you with information and support for any events, fundraising activities or volunteering opportunities you sign up to. If book or enquire about an event or activity we will consider this as a request to send you details about the event, activity or opportunity.
• To send you publicity communications by email where you have consented.
• To manage your contact preferences.

Correcting, updating or removing personal information

If you wish to modify or remove any of your personal information at any time, please contact Adhisthana directly using the contact details shown above. You can also request that we give you a copy of the data referring to you which we hold.

Sharing and disclosure of information we collect

We will never sell or trade your personal data or disclose your personal information to any third party unless we believe that disclosure is necessary:

• To conform to legal requirements
• To protect our rights
• To protect the safety of members of the public or those attending Adhisthana
• The server that hosts this website is situated in the United States, so your 
data may be transferred outside the EEA. We are satisfied however that the US however provides appropriate safeguards which include the EU-US Privacy-Shield framework 
We will only ever share your data in other circumstances if we have your explicit and informed consent.

Your rights

The GDPR provides the following rights for individuals:

• The right to be informed
• The right of access
• The right to rectification
• The right to erasure
• The right to restrict processing
• The right to data portability
• The right to object
• The right to withdraw consent
• Rights in relation to automated decision making and profiling. To exercise any of your rights, please contact us at admin@adhisthana.org, addressing the Data Controller. 
You can find out more about your rights from the Information Commissioner, who regulates data protection and privacy. The Information Commissioner’s website is www.ico.org.uk

Changes to this policy

We may change this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make any significant changes in the way we treat your personal information we will make this clear on our website and/or by contacting you directly.

About this cookie policy

This Cookie Policy explains what cookies are and how we use them, the types of cookies we use i.e, the information we collect using cookies and how that information is used, and how to control the cookie preferences. For further information on how we use, store, and keep your personal data secure, see our Privacy Policy.

Your consent applies to the following domains: adhisthana.org

What are cookies ?

Cookies are small text files that are used to store small pieces of information. They are stored on your device when the website is loaded on your browser. These cookies help us make the website function properly, make it more secure, provide better user experience, and understand how the website performs and to analyze what works and where it needs improvement.

How do we use cookies ?

As most of the online services, our website uses first-party and third-party cookies for several purposes. First-party cookies are mostly necessary for the website to function the right way, and they do not collect any of your personally identifiable data.

The third-party cookies used on our website are mainly for understanding how the website performs, how you interact with our website, keeping our services secure, and all in all helping us keep improving the website.

What types of cookies do we use?

Please click on the “Cookie settings” link below to read about the different types of cookies that we use.

How can I control the cookie preferences?

Should you decide to change your preferences later through your browsing session, you can click on the “Cookie settings” link below. This will display the consent notice again enabling you to change your preferences or withdraw your consent.

In addition to this, different browsers provide different methods to block and delete cookies used by websites. You can change the settings of your browser to block/delete the cookies. To find out more about how to manage and delete cookies, visit wikipedia.org, www.allaboutcookies.org.

The Triratna Preceptors College Trust and Adhisthana Child Protection Policy 2022

Introduction

Triratna is a worldwide network of friends in the Buddhist life. This is for many of us a source of great richness, support and strength. However, it also carries a risk that we may fail to notice, question or act on behaviors of concern, out of naivety, loyalty to friends or lack of awareness, or an assumption that “it couldn’t happen here” or “they would never do a thing like that.”

This policy is an expression of the first ethical precept taught by the Buddha: to protect living beings from harm. It is based on law and good practice in our jurisdiction.

The purpose of this policy

This document is for Friends, Mitras and Order members involved in Triratna Preceptor College Trust (PCT)/Adhisthana activities (and those of any outreach groups run by this charity) as employees, volunteers, leaders, teachers or parents.

It aims to provide

• protection for children (anyone under 18) who visits Adhisthana or take part in its activities including children of Buddhists and other users of this Buddhist centre and
• protection for Friends, Mitras and Order members who may have contact with children in the course of Adhisthana activities.

It sets out

• practices and procedures contributing to the prevention of abuse of children.
• what to do if abuse is suspected.

Our values

Adhisthana is run by the Triratna Preceptor College Trust (PTC), a Buddhist Charity run by members of the Triratna Buddhist Order and Community. Although Triratna (PCT)/Adhisthana does not run activities specifically for children or teenagers under 18, we recognise that they may happen to visit from time to time either by arrangement, for example school visits, family activities or as casual visitors.

The trustees recognise their responsibility to Safeguard those aged under 18 visiting or involved in (PCT)/Adhisthana activities, as set out by the Charity Commission in its latest guidance: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/safeguarding-duties-for-charity-trustees

Shubhavyuha (aka Shirley Robertson) is our Safeguarding officer. They are responsible for co-ordinating the Safeguarding of children and adults in all the activities of Triratna (PCT)/Adhisthana. (See also our Safeguarding Adults policy.)

Saddhanandi (aka Rachel Lovering) is our Safeguarding trustee. They are responsible for making sure Safeguarding is taken seriously by the trustees and appears regularly on their agendas, ensuring the trustees comply with their Safeguarding obligations as required by the Charity Commission.

We recognise that:

• the welfare of the child is paramount.
• all children, regardless of age, disability, gender, ethnicity, religious belief, sexual orientation or identity, have the right to equal protection from harm.
• partnership with children, young people, their parents, carers and other agencies is essential in promoting young people’s welfare.

This policy applies to all staff, including the centre team and trustees, paid staff, volunteers, parents and anyone else working on behalf of Triratna (PCT)/Adhisthana, whether as a Friend, Mitra or Order member, teaching, leading or supporting.

We will seek to safeguard children and young people by:

• valuing them, listening to and respecting them.
• adopting child protection guidelines and a code of conduct for staff and volunteers.
• recruiting staff and volunteers safely, ensuring checks are made where necessary.
• sharing information about child protection and good practice with children, parents, staff and volunteers.
• sharing information about concerns with agencies who need to know, and involving parents and children appropriately.
• providing effective management for staff and volunteers through supervision, support and training.

WHO IS A “CHILD”?

For the purposes of this policy a child is a person who is not yet 18, regardless of the age of majority any particular jurisdiction.

WHAT IS “CHILD ABUSE”?

Please see appendix

Recognising signs of abuse

Please see appendix.

engaging safely with children in person

Outside our own personal and family relationships, in connection with this charity’s activities we will not arrange to meet any child under 15 individually anywhere if unaccompanied by a parent/guardian.

We understand that before meeting those aged 15-17 it is good Safeguarding practice to make contact with their parent/guardian. We will take care to meet in public spaces where others are present, such as our Buddhist centre reception area or a room with the door open.

Where it is agreed that (in connection with any of our charity’s activities) that one of our employees or volunteers may give a lift to a person under 18 (with or without anyone else in the car)

• our Safeguarding officer must ensure that the driver is well known to us, has read our Child Protection Code of Conduct and Child Protection Policy and signed to confirm they will abide by them.
• Our Safeguarding officer must have the written agreement of the child’s parent/carer for the child to travel in the car of this named driver.
• The driver must be over 18, have a full driving licence, adequate insurance and a vehicle which is roadworthy.
• The child must sit in the back seat.

If we do not feel able to implement these criteria, we will require that no employee or volunteer offers lifts to those under 18 in connection with our charity’s activities.

See also the guidance document ‘Caring for teenagers in Triratna 2022’.

Engaging with under-18s using email and social mediA

We are aware that individual contact with people of any age using email or social media carries the risk of accusations of “grooming”; relationships established with a view to sexual contact.

We will not engage by email, text or social media with anyone under 15, except where they are seeking information about Buddhism as part of school work or personal study, when we may engage, by email only, from the charity’s email account only. Having answered their questions, we will not engage in further personal correspondence.

We will engage with those 15-17 only with the written permission of a parent/guardian, by email or letter, which will be stored by our Safeguarding officer.

For more detail on this, see the guidance document ‘Caring for teenagers in Triratna 2022’

DBS checks /Background security checks

If in any doubt about the requirements for DBS checks our Safeguarding officer will check with external Safeguarding experts such as Thirtyone:eight (www.thirtyoneeight.org) to ensure that anyone required to have a DBS check has been checked, and to the correct level. Thirtyone:eight provide an advice line and online DBS service.

We understand that

1. the Charity Commission states that wherever there is a legal entitlement to a DBS check in respect of a trustee, employee or volunteer, a DBS check should be carried out. In detail, this means that
2. anyone employed by or volunteering for our charity in any capacity is eligible for a Basic DBS check. We are free to request these of any such person, but where a charity has a great many volunteers and staff and it is impracticable to DBS check all of them we must be able to demonstrate that for those who are unchecked other measures are in place to ensure the safety of all beneficiaries. This means we may decide to focus on obtaining Basic checks for those with responsibilities which render them likely to be seen by others as holding some degree ofauthority; for example:
3. our Chair and trustees
4. those working with our charity’s money and finances
5. our Safeguarding officer
6. those who teach or lead and those who support them
7. anyone working with under 18s who does not qualify for an Enhanced DBS check (eg those helping with school visits from time to time). (See C.)
   
   

Where any volunteer or staff member is not DBS checked we must be able to demonstrate that they

• are supervised by a person who is DBS checked
• know to leave open the door to any room in which they are working unsupervised by a person who is DBS checked
  
  
• have read the charity’s Safeguarding policies and Child Protection Code of Conduct, had an opportunity to discuss them with the Safeguarding officer and have signed a document recording that they have read and agree to abide by them.
  
  
• those running non-residential activities or events specifically intended for, or intended to include, those under 18 can and must obtain an Enhanced DBS check with check of the Children’s Barred List, but only if they work with children, for our charity, on more than 3 days in a 30-day period.
• if any of our staff and volunteers is working with children in non-residential activities on more than 3 days in a 30-day period, as described in C) all our trustees can and must have an Enhanced DBS check (without check of the Children’s Barred List). This applies even if a trustee has no personal involvement in the activities including children.
  
  
• Where a person who is a trustee is also running non-residential activities involving children on more than 3 days in a 30-day period, or managing someone who is running activities involving children on more than 3 days in a 30-day period, it may be that that trustee can and therefore must obtain, an Enhanced DBS check with a check of the Children’s Barred List.
  
  
• Where under-18s stay overnight in the course of residential activities, without their parents or guardians present, any volunteer or employee who cares for, supervises, teaches, leads or advises those children (other than their own) with the opportunity for face to face contact – even if only on one occasion – can and must have an Enhanced DBS check with a check of the Children’s Barred List and
  
  
• DBS certificates apply to roles rather than persons and are not transferrable from another role elsewhere.
  
  
• It is regarded as good practice that any DBS certificate should be less than three years old.

No DBS checks are required in relation to irregular or one-off non-residential activities involving those under 18, or to general non-residential activities which someone under 18 may happen to attend. This is because children are most at risk where it is known in advance that children are likely to be attending; those who wish to gain access to children look for opportunities to become a familiar and trusted figure to children, for example seeking to join the team running regular children’s activities.

Welcoming school visits safely

School groups and other youth groups visit our Buddhist centre. We will require every group to bring at least two adults capable of supervising all members of the group at all times. We will make clear that none of our staff or volunteers is to be left alone with their pupils.

Members of our sangha teaching or instructing school group visits to our Buddhist Centre can and therefore must have Enhanced DBS checks without check of the Children’s Barred List. (This does not apply to a sangha-member leading a one-off visit, or who accompanies the group but does not teach them.)

See also the guidance document ‘Caring for teenagers in Triratna 2022’.

Safer recruitment more generally

DBS/security checks are only one aspect of safer recruitment.

• We will seek references for anyone, volunteer or employee, seeking to work with those under 18 in the course of our activities, including short-term volunteers, even if they have been DBS checked or will be supervised by people who have been DBS checked.

• Any volunteer or employee, seeking to work with those under 18 in the course of our activities must read and sign our Child Protection Policy and Code of conduct, even if only helping on a one-off occasion.

WHERE PARENTS ARE NOT PRESENT

We understand that where under 18s attend a Triratna (PCT)/Adhisthana event, if parents are not present at all, or are elsewhere on the premises, the Safeguarding officer must make contact with their parent/guardian to ensure they know this is happening, and to record in writing that contact has been made, along with contact details and any medical conditions we need to know about.

Managing those who pose a risk to children

In the course of our charity’s own activities we will not allow someone who is likely to pose a risk to children to have contact with anyone under 18 (for example, a person who is known to have a previous criminal conviction for sexual or other violent offences, someone who is under investigation for possible sexual or other violent offences or someone who has disclosed a sexual interest in children).

Such a person will be asked by the Safeguarding officer to agree a behaviour contract setting out the terms of their continued participation inTriratna(PCT)/Adhisthana activities, within agreed boundaries and based on a risk assessment carried out by an Order member with professional experience in risk assessment. If our Safeguarding officer is not qualified to do this we will ask for help from the ECA Safeguarding team or another professionally qualified Order member. (See the document ‘Managing those who pose a risk 2022’.)

Such a person cannot be asked to sign the Child Protection Code of Conduct 2022 as it would conflict with the terms of their behaviour contract and in any case it would be very unwise to permit such a person to have any contact with those under 18 in the course of Triratna activities.

Where it is felt that the charity does not have the resources to manage this relationship safely, we reserve the right to ask the person not to attend our activities.

See also the guidance document ‘Caring for teenagers in Triratna 2022’.

Lettings/hireouts/room-use

Our charity rents or lends premises for the following activities which are not activities of our charity, even if they are led/run by a member of our sangha or members of our sangha take part: Sangha Retreat Centre hire-outs, Breathwork events, and meetings held by various Triratna Institutions

We understand that there is joint responsibility on our charity and those renting/using our premises for the Safeguarding of children and adults taking part in such activities, but that our trustees bear ultimate responsibility for the Safeguarding in all activities which take place on our premises. This includes self-organised meetings of sangha members even where these are not seen as activities run by the charity; eg chapter meetings and GFR meetings.

Where any organisation or individual rents space in our premises we will ask them to sign a lettings agreement which says they have read our Safeguarding policies and agree to abide by them, or that they have shown us their own Safeguarding policy, in which case their policy should be compatible with our own policy and should be written to an equal or higher standard.

Reporting concerns or allegations

All reports or suspicions of abuse must be treated seriously. They may include

• something we have seen
• something we have been told by someone else
• rumours about a person’s previous behaviour
• behaviour we have observed in a child and
• disclosure from a child directly.

If a person under 18 alleges abuse

• We need to be aware the child may have been threatened and may be very afraid.
• We need to look directly at the child.
• We need to keep calm and reassure the child that they are doing the right thing and are not to blame, even if they have broken some rules.
• We need to accept what the child says without judgment, never suggesting that they may be wrong or mistaken. Our responsibility is to take them seriously and take action, not to decide whether what they are saying is true.
• We need to avoid pushing for information or question the child but let them say as much as they are ready to say.
• We need to make it clear we cannot promise total confidentiality, and that we will need to tell another trusted adult if we believe the child is at immediate risk of harm.
• We need to tell them we need to get help for them but that we will try to agree with them what will happen next. This means we will need to share what they say with others – on a need-to-know basis only.

We will do our best to avoid

• appearing shocked, horrified, disgusted or angry.

• pressing the child for details.
• making comments or judgments other than to show concern. Our responsibility is to take them seriously, not to decide whether what they are saying is true. 
• promising to keep secrets.
• confronting any alleged perpetrator.
• risking contaminating the evidence by investigating matters ourselves.

What we will do next

• We understand that our first concern must be the safety and wellbeing of the child and that we must not be distracted from this by loyalty to the person accused or a desire to maintain the good name of Triratna or our charity.
• If the person receiving the disclosure is not our Safeguarding officer, they must tell the Safeguarding officer only, who will co-ordinate the handling of the matter on behalf of the charity’s trustees. However, if the Safeguarding officer is not immediately available the matter should be communicated to the Chair of the charity, or the Safeguarding trustee. If the child may be in immediate danger the Safeguarding officer, Chair, Safeguarding trustee or person receiving the disclosure will phone the police and Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) at our local social services straight away. A telephone referral will be confirmed in writing within 24 hours.
  
  If necessary, our Safeguarding officer will contact Triratna’s ECA Safeguarding team for advice: safeguarding@triratna.community
• We understand that every person has a legal right to privacy under the International Convention on Human Rights and data protection legislation; therefore, having taken any urgent actions necessary, if possible, we should get the consent of the child’s parent or guardian to share the information they have disclosed.
• However, it may be necessary, and therefore legally ‘reasonable’, to report without parental consent, if we believe that the child is suffering, or at risk of, significant harm and that informing parents/guardians would not be in the child’s interest.
• Meanwhile, the person receiving the disclosure will make detailed factual notes about the conversation/concern/incident as soon as possible, including time, date and location, and pass them to the charity’s Safeguarding officer. (See ‘Secure, confidential record-keeping’ below.)  As far as possible what a child has said should be recorded in their own words, as these could be used in court.
• Finally, in England and Wales we understand that we may need to make a Serious Incident Report to the Charity Commission: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-report-a-serious-incident-in-your-charity. If necessary we will consult the ECA Safeguarding team for guidance on this: safeguarding@triratna.community

WHO ELSE NEEDS TO KNOW?

We understand that confidentiality, sharing information only on a need-to-know basis, is very important. Under data protection legislation nobody has a right to know about the matter – except, for Safeguarding purposes, those in a position to prevent further harm, and our Chair, who holds ultimate responsibility for the governance of the charity. For example, where there is a criminal allegation against a Mitra it could be justifiable for the Safeguarding officer, Safeguarding trustee, Chair and Mitra convenor to know about it.

This is not a matter of concealment but is intended to protect all concerned from further harm. It will also protect our sangha from fear, rumour and disharmony which will make it much harder to deal with the matter effectively without causing further harm.

Where a person is believed/has been found to pose a risk to children it is often thought that parents have a right to know. However, this is not the case. Proper implementation of our Safeguarding policy and procedures will ensure that our sangha’s children are as safe from such a person as they are from any others who pose a risk but have not been identified as such.

What to do if a sangha member discloses a criminal act against a child

We understand that the law does not protect confidentiality where criminal acts are disclosed in the context of Buddhist confession. If in the course of our charity’s activities, or of an activity which takes place on our premises, a Friend, Mitra or Order member discloses (whether or not in a formal confession) that they have physically or sexually abused a child, or have viewed indecent images of children online, the person receiving this disclosure or confession must inform our Safeguarding officer immediately, who must report to our local police immediately. This applies whether the behaviour disclosed is recent or historic.

If a child may be in immediate danger the Safeguarding officer, Chair, Safeguarding trustee or person receiving the disclosure will phone the police and Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) at our local social services straight away. A telephone referral will be confirmed in writing within 24 hours.

If necessary, our Safeguarding officer will contact Triratna’s ECA Safeguarding team for advice: safeguarding@triratna.community

SECURE, CONFIDENTIAL RECORD-KEEPING

We understand our responsibility for secure and careful record-keeping. Our Safeguarding officer will keep a detailed log of all Safeguarding-related incidents as well as conversations, actions and the reasoning behind them. These should not be kept on any computer, but on an external hard drive or memory stick. To guard against loss in case the files, hard drive or memory stick become corrupted these will be backed up to another hard drive or memory stick and/or printed off. Any memory sticks, hard drives and paper copies will be stored in a locked cabinet, box or drawer accessible only to the Safeguarding officer and one or two others approved by our trustees, eg the Chair and Safeguarding trustee.

If this is not practicable, we will keep them on an external hard drive or memory stick. To guard against loss in case the files, hard drive or memory stick become corrupted these will be backed up to another hard drive or memory stick and/or printed off. Any such memory sticks, hard drives and paper copies will be stored in a locked cabinet, box or drawer accessible only to the Safeguarding officer and one or two others approved by our trustees. We understand that such records must not be stored on individuals’ own private computers.

We also understand that under data protection law we need to word our records in a form we would be happy for the subjects to read if they ask to, as is their legal right. This means notes should be factual and respectful, free of interpretations and value-judgements.

KEEPING CONFIDENTIAL RECORDS

We understand that because many abuse cases come to light 30 or more years later we should keep our records for up to 50 years. This is important in order to address historical cases effectively but also for insurance purposes.

If our charity closes down, we will give our records to another Triratna Buddhist centre/charity to keep with their own confidential Safeguarding logs.

REVIEWING OUR POLICIES ANNUALLY

This document was adopted by the trustees of Triratna Preceptors College Trust/Adhisthana on the 4 July 2022 and will be reviewed and updated by the Safeguarding officer and trustees of Triratna Preceptors College Trust/Adhisthana, on or before 4 July 2023.

The Triratna Preceptors College Trust and Adhisthana

Safeguarding Trustee’s name and email address: Saddhanandi, saddhanandi@adhisthana.org

Safeguarding officer’s name and email address: Shubhavyuha, shubhavyuha@adhisthana.org

PCT and Adhisthana Child protection policy 2022 is to be read in conjunction with

• PCT and Adhisthana Child Protection Code of Conduct 2022
• PCT and Adhisthana Adult Safeguarding policy 2022
• Triratna guidance document ‘Caring for teenagers in Triratna 2022’ and
• Triratna guidance document ‘Managing those who pose a risk 2022

Adhisthana
Coddington Court, Coddington
Ledbury, Herefordshire,
HR8 1JL
Phone: 01531 641726

Registered charity no: 1142673
Registered Charity name: The Triratna Preceptors College Trust LTD

Chair of Adhisthana

Order name and legal name: Khemabandhu (aka James Brodie)

Email address: khemabandhu@adhisthana.org

Phone number: 01531 640217

Safeguarding officer of Adhisthana

Order name and legal name: Shubhavyuha (aka Shirley Robertson)

Email address: shubhavyuha@adhisthana.org

Phone number: 01531 640217

Safeguarding trustee of Adhisthana

Order name and legal name: Saddhanandi (aka Rachel Lovering)

Email address: Saddhanandi@adhisthana.org

Phone number: 01531 640217

Insurance company details

Policy number: 18164041

Email address:

Phone number: 020 8018 7500

Adhisthana Safeguarding adults policy and guidelines 2022

Introduction

Triratna is a worldwide network of friends in the Buddhist life. This is for many of us a source of great richness, support and strength. However, it also carries a risk that we may fail to notice, question or act on behaviours of concern, out of naivety, loyalty to friends or lack of awareness, or an assumption that “it couldn’t happen here” or “they would never do a thing like that.”

This policy is an expression of the first ethical precept taught by the Buddha: to protect living beings from harm. It is based on law and good practice in our jurisdiction.

The purpose of this policy

This policy is for Friends, Mitras and Order members involved in Triratna Preceptors College Trust (PCT)/Adhisthana activities (and those of any outreach groups run by this charity) as employees, volunteers, leaders or teachers.

It aims to provide

• Protection for all adults attending Triratna (PCT)/Adhisthana activities, including those who may be at risk of harm or have care and support needs, and
• Protection for Friends, Mitras and Order members working with them.

It sets out:

• information and practices contributing to the prevention of harm to adults.
• what to do if harm is suspected.

Our values

As the trustees of Triratna (PCT)/Adhisthana we wish all adults who come into contact with our charity in any way to flourish through their engagement with the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha.

We recognise an ethical duty to prevent or address harm to all adults in the course of our activities, including adults who may be at risk of harm or have care and support needs, as set out by the Charity Commission in its latest guidance:: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/safeguarding-duties-for-charity-trustees

The types of harm we have a duty to prevent, and address are listed in Appendix 1; they apply by law to the care of adults who are deemed formally vulnerable or ‘at risk’. However, this list also provides a guide as to the types of harm we must be alert to prevent or address in the case of all adults.

Although we do not run activities specifically for those with identifiable vulnerabilities such as those who are carers, or who live with mental illness or addiction we recognise that people who may be vulnerable in these ways do attend our events and take part in the life of our sangha.

Shubhavyuha (aka Shirley Robertson) is our Safeguarding officer. They are responsible for co-ordinating the Safeguarding of children and Adults in all the activities of at the Triratna (PCT)/Adhisthana

Saddhanandi (aka Rachel Lovering) is our Safeguarding trustee. They are responsible for making sure Safeguarding is taken seriously by the trustees and appears regularly on their agendas, ensuring the trustees comply with their Safeguarding obligations as required by the Charity Commission.

Who is an “adult”?

For the purposes of this policy an “adult” is a person who has passed their 18^th birthday regardless of the legal age of majority in any jurisdiction.

Who is an “adult at risk”?

The UK Care Act 2014 defines such a person as “any person who is aged 18 years or over and at risk of abuse or neglect because of their needs for care and or support”; ie, they need care and support (whether or not the local authority is meeting any of those needs); and Is experiencing, or at risk of, abuse or neglect; and as a result of those care and support needs, is unable to protect themselves from either the risk of, or the experience of, abuse or neglect”.

Adults who may be formally ‘at risk’ may also include those who

• have dementia
• have learning disabilities
• have mental health problems
• have drug, alcohol or substance dependency
• have physical or sensory disabilities
• have been bereaved, suffered grief and loss
• through age or illness are dependent on other people to help them
• live with domestic abuse
• are homeless
• are refugees or asylum seekers or
• for any reason may be considered not to have ‘mental capacity’. (See below.)

Whether or not a person is “vulnerable” or “at risk” in these cases will vary according to circumstances, and it should be noted that a person with a physical disability is not necessarily at risk, though they could be. Each case must be judged on its own merits.

Definitions of abuse in adults

See appendix 1.

Signs of abuse in adults

See appendix 2.

What is ‘mental capacity’?

See appendix 3.

vulnerability can be variable

Vulnerability and resilience can vary throughout a person’s life. Many people who are generally emotionally and psychologically stable in most aspects of their lives and would not be formally classified as vulnerable or ‘at risk’ may on occasion may find themselves in a more vulnerable position, e.g. after a bereavement, serious illness, or breakdown of a relationship. They may be new to the practice of meditation and their practice may make them more sensitive..

For example, we will bear in mind that a person who is emotionally vulnerable for any reason may not be able to make balanced decisions regarding giving money or becoming more involved with Triratna, or entering into intimate relationships, whether friendship or relationships which are more romantic or sexual in nature. We will take great care to help each other avoid exploiting people in such everyday situations of vulnerability.

Protecting those with psychological disorders

We are aware that those attending our centre and activities include adults experiencing psychological disorders ranging from mild to severe.

We recognise that as Buddhists we do not have the professional skills to diagnose or help people with psychological disorders and that they may not be helped solely by the kindness of Buddhists. In such cases we may need to advise them to seek professional help.

We are aware that for people with serious psychological disorders traditional Buddhist practices involving recognition of the illusion of self could be dangerous. We may need to encourage them in traditional Buddhist practices involving the calming of body and mind, or to avoid meditation – altogether, or during periods of relapse.

Where we believe a person to be at risk of self harm or suicide we will encourage them to contact their GP, mental health team or to go to the accident and emergency department of the local hospital. If necessary we will make the contact on their behalf, with their permission. We will consult with Triratna’s ECA Safeguarding Team if necessary: safeguarding@triratna.community

Where we consider there is immediate danger of a person harming themselves or others we will contact emergency services, without their permission if necessary.

Protecting those with psychological disorders – online

Buddhism and meditation are increasingly taught using online media. In person, it is relatively easy to notice where a person may have compromised mental health; online it is much more difficult.

We recognise that among those seeking individual online guidance from members of the Triratna Buddhist Order there may be some reporting meditation experiences which are an indication of serious psychological disorder.

In engaging in individual guidance online by email, blog, social media or text we will take great care at the start to establish with local Order members the identity, location and suitability of the participant, and which local Order members are available locally to support them in person and gaining permission to contact those Order members if we believe they are at risk. (This does not apply where the participant is an Order member and therefore well known to us.)

(Responding to children online See the Triratna (PCT)/Adhisthana Child protection policy 2022.)

DBS checks/Security checks

If in any doubt about the requirements for DBS checks our Safeguarding officer will check with external Safeguarding experts such as Thirtyone:eight (www.thirtyoneeight.org) to ensure that anyone required to have a DBS check has been checked, and to the correct level. . Thirtyone:eight provide an advice line and online DBS service.

We understand that

1. the Charity Commission states that wherever there is a legal entitlement to a DBS check in respect of a trustee, employee or volunteer, a DBS check should be carried out. In detail, this means that
2. anyone employed by or volunteering for our charity in any capacity is eligible for a Basic DBS check. We are free to request these of any such person, but where a charity has a great many volunteers and staff and it is impracticable to DBS check all of them we must be able to demonstrate that for those who are unchecked other measures are in place to ensure the safety of all beneficiaries. This means we may decide to focus on obtaining Basic checks for those with responsibilities which render them likely to be seen by others as holding some degree ofauthority; for example:
3. our Chair and trustees
4. those working with our charity’s money and finances
5. our Safeguarding officer
6. those who teach or lead and those who support them

Where any volunteer or staff member is not DBS checked we must be able to demonstrate that they

• are supervised by a person who is DBS checked
• have read the charity’s Safeguarding policies and Child Protection Code of Conduct, had an opportunity to discuss them with the Safeguarding officer and
• have signed a document recording that they have read and agree to abide by them.

C) The core team (Mitras or Order members, paid or voluntary) directly responsible for any Triratna (PCT)/Adhisthanaactivity or event specifically intended and advertised for adults likely to be more vulnerable to influence, exploitation or mistreatment can and therefore must have an Enhanced DBS check with a check of Barred Registers.

At present we do not run any such activities but will keep this under review in case this should change.

D) DBS checks for addiction recovery meetingsHowever, it has been agreed with the DBS Service by the 12-Step Movement that no DBS checks are needed for 12-Step meetings. This applies only to meetings run formally as 12-Step meetings, because they are co-facilitated by the participants and have no leadership. Where 12-Step meetings take place on our premises we will take care to clarify that Mitras and Order members taking part in such meetings are not seen as leading and do not behave as such and that these meetings are self-help groups held on our premises but not part of our programme of activities.

DBS checks may be required for those leading 8-Step meetings or other recovery programmes which are not part of the 12-Step Movement, and which are run as part of our programme of activities.

Where those running an activity can, and therefore must, have DBS checks, we will require anyone helping with such activities (paid or voluntary) who has not been DBS checked to be supervised at all times by someone who is DBS checked.

DBS checks are not required for those running general activities which adults with mental health difficulties or in addiction recovery (for example) may happen to attend.

E) DBS certificates apply to roles rather than persons and are not transferrable from another role elsewhere.

F) It is regarded as good practice that any DBS certificate should be less than three years old.

managing those who pose a risk to others

There may be cases where it is known that a person attending our activities is likely to pose a risk to others (for example, a person who is known to have a previous criminal conviction for sexual or other violent offences, who is on the UK Sex Offender Register or someone who is under investigation for possible sexual or other violent offences).

Such a person will be asked by the Safeguarding officer to agree a behaviour contract setting out the terms of their continued participation in the Triratna (PCT)/Adhisthana activities within agreed boundaries and based on a risk assessment carried out by an Order member with professional experience in risk assessment. If our Safeguarding officer is not qualified to do this we will ask for help from the ECA Safeguarding team or another professionally qualified Order member. (See the document ‘Managing those who pose a risk 2022’.)

Where it is felt that the charity does not have the resources to manage this relationship safely, we reserve the right to ask the person not to attend our activities.

Lettings/hireouts/room use

Our charity rents or lends premises for the following activities which are not activities of our charity, even if they are led/run by a member of our sangha or members of our sangha take part: Sangha retreat centre hire outs, Breathworks events, and meetings held by various Triratna institutions.

We understand that there is joint responsibility on our charity and those renting/using our premises for the Safeguarding of children and adults taking part in such activities, but that our trustees bear ultimate responsibility for the Safeguarding in all activities which take place on our premises. This includes self-organised meetings of sangha members which are not seen as activities run by the charity; eg chapter meetings and GFR meetings.

Where any organisation or individual rents space in our premises we will ask them to sign a lettings agreement which says they have read our Safeguarding policies and agree to abide by them, or that they have shown us their own Safeguarding policy, in which case their policy should be compatible with our own policy and should be written to an equal or higher standard.

what is ‘abuse’?

Our charity rents or lends premises for the following activities which are not activities of our charity, even if they are led/run by a member of our sangha or members of our sangha take part: Sangha retreat centre hire outs, Breathworks events, and meetings held by various Triratna institutions.

We understand that there is joint responsibility on our charity and those renting/using our premises for the Safeguarding of children and adults taking part in such activities, but that our trustees bear ultimate responsibility for the Safeguarding in all activities which take place on our premises. This includes self-organised meetings of sangha members which are not seen as activities run by the charity; eg chapter meetings and GFR meetings.

Where any organisation or individual rents space in our premises we will ask them to sign a lettings agreement which says they have read our Safeguarding policies and agree to abide by them, or that they have shown us their own Safeguarding policy, in which case their policy should be compatible with our own policy and should be written to an equal or higher standard.

what is ‘abuse’

‘Abuse’ is not a legal term, but covers a number of ways in which a person may be deliberately harmed (legally or illegally), usually by someone who is in a position of power, trust or authority over them, or who may be perceived by that person to be in a position of power, trust or authority over them; for example by a Friend, Mitra or Order member who is helping to run Triratna Preceptors’ College Trust (PCT)/Adhisthana activities for those newer to such activities. The harm may be physical, psychological or emotional, or it may exploit the vulnerability of the person in more subtle ways.

However, harm can also occur less consciously, through naivety, idealism or lack of awareness.

Types of abuse

See Appendix 1.

Signs of abuse

See Appendix 2.

if you have a concern

All allegations or suspicions should be taken seriously and reported to our Safeguarding officer: shubhavyuha@adhisthana.org

if a person over 18 alleges abuse

We understand that we need to

• stay calm.
• listen patiently.
• reassure the person they are doing the right thing by speaking up.
• clarify issues of confidentiality early on. We will make it clear we may have to discuss their concerns with others, on a strictly need-to-know basis, if at all possible with their permission. (See below.)
• explain what we are going to do.
• write a factual account of what we have seen and heard, immediately.

We will do our best to avoid

• appearing shocked, horrified, disgusted or angry.

• pressing the individual for details.
• making comments or judgments other than to show concern. Our responsibility is to take them seriously, not to decide whether what they are saying is true. 
• promising to keep secrets.
• confronting any alleged perpetrator.
• risking contaminating the evidence by investigating matters ourselves.

What we will do next

• We understand that our first concern must be the safety and wellbeing of this person and that we must not be distracted from this by loyalty to the person who has been accused or a desire to maintain the good name of Triratna or our charity.
• If the person receiving the disclosure is not our Safeguarding officer, they must tell the Safeguarding officer only, who will co-ordinate the handling of the matter on behalf of the charity’s trustees. However, if the Safeguarding officer is not immediately available the matter should be communicated to the Chair of the charity or the Safeguarding trustee.
• We understand that every person has a legal right to privacy under the International Convention on Human Rights and data protection legislation; therefore if possible we need to get the person’s consent to share the information they have given us, within the limits described here and below.

• If the adult alleging abuse is not formally vulnerable or ‘at risk’ and their complaint may be criminal, it is up to them to report to the police if they wish to; though we will offer them help and support to do this.
• If the person is formally vulnerable or ‘at risk’ we may report on their behalf, though with their permission if possible.
• Whether or not formally vulnerable or ‘at risk’, if the person may be in immediate danger the Safeguarding officer, Chair, Safeguarding trustee or person receiving the disclosure will phone social services or police straight away. A telephone referral will be confirmed in writing within 24 hours.
  
  If necessary, our Safeguarding officer will contact Triratna’s ECA Safeguarding team for advice: safeguarding@triratna.community
• It may be necessary, and therefore legally ‘reasonable’, to pass on information without the adult’s consent if they may be at immediate risk of harm once they leave your company and/or a crime has been or is about to be committed; also if what is disclosed indicates that there is also a risk of harm to a child.
• The person receiving the disclosure will make detailed factual notes about the conversation/concern/incident as soon as possible, including time, date and location, and pass them to the charity’s Safeguarding officer. (See ‘Secure, confidential record-keeping’ below.)  As far as possible what the person has said should be recorded in their own words, as these could be used in court.
• We understand that no sangha member should attempt to investigate a criminal allegation, that this is the job of the police and that to attempt this could prejudice a court case and put the parties in danger.

Finally, we may need to make external reports

• In England and Wales we may need to make a Serious Incident Report to the Charity Commission: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-report-a-serious-incident-in-your-charity.
• We will report to our insurers any situation or incident that we consider might lead to a claim under our insurance policy.

If necessary we will consult the ECA Safeguarding team for guidance on this: safeguarding@triratna

Who else needs to know

We understand that confidentiality, sharing information only on a need-to-know basis, is very important. Under data protection legislation nobody has a right to know about a case – except, for Safeguarding purposes, those in a position to prevent further harm, and our Chair, who holds ultimate responsibility for the governance of the charity. For example, where there is a criminal allegation against a Mitra it could be justifiable for the Safeguarding officer, Safeguarding trustee, Chair and Mitra convenor to know about it.

This is not a matter of concealment but is intended to protect all concerned from further harm. It will also protect our sangha from fear, rumour and disharmony which will make it much harder to deal with the matter effectively without causing further harm.

Secure, confidential record-keeping

We understand our responsibility for secure and careful record-keeping. Our Safeguarding officer will keep a detailed log of all Safeguarding-related incidents as well as conversations, actions and the reasoning behind them. These should not be kept on any computer, but on an external hard drive or memory stick. To guard against loss in case the files, hard drive or memory stick become corrupted these will be backed up to another hard drive or memory stick and/or printed off. Any memory sticks, hard drives and paper copies will be stored in a locked cabinet, box or drawer accessible only to the Safeguarding officer and one or two others approved by our trustees, eg the Chair and Safeguarding trustee.

We also understand that under data protection law we need to word our records in a form we would be happy for the subjects to read if they ask to, as is their legal right. This means notes should be factual and respectful, free of interpretations and value-judgements.

Keeping confidential records
We understand that because many abuse cases come to light 30 or more years later we should keep our records for up to 50 years. This is important in order to address historical cases effectively but also for insurance purposes.

If our charity closes down, we will give our records to another Triratna Buddhist centre/charity to keep with their own confidential Safeguarding logs.

Reviewing our policies annually

This document was adopted by the trustees of the Triratna Preceptors College Trust/Adhisthana, on the 4 July 2022 and will be reviewed and updated by the Safeguarding officer and trustees in Triratna Preceptors College Trust/Adhisthana, on or before 4 July 2023.

Triratna Preceptors’ College Trust (PCT)/Adhisthana

Safeguarding Trustee’s name and email address: Saddhanandi (aka Rachel Lovering). saddhanandhi@adhisthana.org

Safeguarding officer’s name and email address: Shubhavyuha. shubhavyuha@adhisthana.org

This document will be reviewed annually by the Safeguarding officer and trustees of Triratna Preceptors College Trust.

Published by the trustees of Triratna Preceptors College Trust.

This Triratna Preceptors College Trust/Adhisthana Adult Safeguarding policy is to be read in conjunction with the

• Triratna Preceptors College Trust/Adhisthana Child Protection Policy 2022
• Triratna Preceptors College Trust/Adhisthana Child Protection Code of Conduct 2022
• Triratna guidance document ‘Caring for teenagers in Triratna 2022’and
• Triratna guidance document ‘Managing those who pose a risk 2022’

Appendices

Appendix 1

Definitions of abuse in adults

In the UK we have a legal duty to prevent or address the following types of harm to adults who may be vulnerable or ‘at risk’.

The list below also provides a guide as to the types of harm we should be alert to prevent or address in the case of all adults, as does the list at this link, from the Charity Commission for England and Wales https://www.gov.uk/guidance/safeguarding-duties-for-charity-trustees

As defined in the UK Care Act 2014, Safeguarding duties apply to an adult who

• has need for care and support (whether or not the local authority is meeting any of those needs) and;
• is experiencing, or at risk of, abuse or neglect; and
• as a result of those care and support needs is unable to protect themselves from either the risk of, or the experience of abuse or neglect.

Physical abuse – including assault, hitting, slapping, pushing, misuse of medication, restraint or inappropriate physical sanctions.

Domestic violence – including psychological, physical, sexual, financial, emotional abuse; so called ‘honour-based’ violence.

Sexual abuse – including rape, indecent exposure, sexual harassment, inappropriate looking or touching, sexual teasing or innuendo, sexual photography, subjection to pornography or witnessing sexual acts, indecent exposure and sexual assault or sexual acts to which the adult has not consented or was pressured into consenting.

Psychological abuse – including emotional abuse, threats of harm or abandonment, deprivation of contact, humiliation, blaming, controlling, intimidation, coercion, harassment, verbal abuse, cyber bullying, isolation or unreasonable and unjustified withdrawal of services or supportive networks.

Financial or material abuse – including theft, fraud, internet scamming, coercion in relation to an adult’s financial affairs or arrangements, including in connection with wills, property, inheritance or financial transactions, or the misuse or misappropriation of property, possessions or benefits.

Modern slavery – encompasses slavery, human trafficking, forced labour and domestic servitude. Traffickers and slave masters use whatever means they have at their disposal to coerce, deceive and force individuals into a life of abuse, servitude and inhumane treatment.

Discriminatory abuse – including forms of harassment, slurs or similar treatment; because of race, gender and gender identity, age, disability, sexual orientation or religion.

Organisational abuse – including neglect and poor care practice within an Institution or specific care setting such as a hospital or care home, for example, or in relation to care provided in one’s own home. This may range from one off incidents to on-going ill-treatment. It can be through neglect or poor professional practice as a result of the structure, policies, processes and practices within an organisation.

Neglect and acts of omission – including ignoring medical, emotional or physical care needs, failure to provide access to appropriate health, care and support or educational services, the withholding of the necessities of life, such as medication, adequate nutrition and heating.

Self-neglect – this covers a wide range of behaviour neglecting to care for one’s personal hygiene, health or surroundings and includes behaviour such as hoarding. Incidents of abuse may be one-off or multiple, and affect one person or more.

Appendix 2
Signs of abuse in adults

Physical abuse

• History of unexplained falls, fractures, bruises, burns, minor injuries.
• Signs of under or over use of medication and/or medical problems left unattended.
• Any injuries not consistent with the explanation given for them
• Bruising and discolouration – particularly if there is a lot of bruising of different ages

and in places not normally exposed to falls, rough games etc.

• Recurring injuries without plausible explanation
• Loss of hair, loss of weight and change of appetite
• Person flinches at physical contact &/or keeps fully covered, even in hot weather;
• Person appears frightened or subdued in the presence of a particular person or people

Domestic violence

• Unexplained injuries or ‘excuses’ for marks or scars
• Controlling and/or threatening relationship including psychological, physical, sexual, financial, emotional abuse; so called ‘honour-based’ violence and Female Genital Mutilation.

Sexual abuse

• Pregnancy in a woman who lacks mental capacity or is unable to consent to sexual intercourse

• Unexplained change in behaviour or sexually explicit behaviour
• Torn, stained or bloody underwear and/or unusual difficulty in walking or sitting
• Infections or sexually transmitted diseases
• Full or partial disclosures or hints of sexual abuse:
• Self-harming
• Emotional distress
• Mood changes
• Disturbed sleep patterns
• Psychological abuse
• Alteration in psychological state e.g. withdrawn, agitated, anxious, tearful
• Intimidated or subdued in the presence of a carer
• Fearful, flinching or frightened of making choices or expressing wishes
• Unexplained paranoia
• Changes in mood, attitude and behaviour, excessive fear or anxiety
• Changes in sleep pattern or persistent tiredness
• Loss of appetite
• Helplessness or passivity
• Confusion or disorientation
• Implausible stories and attention seeking behaviour
• Low self-esteem

Financial or material abuse

• Disparity between assets and living conditions
• Unexplained withdrawals from accounts or disappearance of financial documents or loss of money

• Sudden inability to pay bills, getting into debt
• Carers or professionals fail to account for expenses incurred on a person’s behalf
• Recent changes of deeds or title to property
• Missing personal belongings
• Inappropriate granting and / or use of Power of Attorney

Modern slavery

• Physical appearance; unkempt, inappropriate clothing, malnourished
• Movement monitored, rarely alone, travel early or late at night to facilitate working hours
• Few personal possessions or ID documents
• Fear of seeking help or trusting people

Discriminatory abuse

• Inappropriate remarks, comments or lack of respect
• Poor quality or avoidance care
• Low self-esteem
• Withdrawn
• Anger
• Person puts themselves down in terms of their gender or sexuality
• Abuse may be observed in conversations or reports by the person of how they perceive themselves

Institutional Abuse

• Low self-esteem
• Withdrawn
• Anger
• Person puts themselves down in terms of their gender or sexuality
• Abuse may be observed in conversations or reports by the person of how they perceive themselves

• No confidence in complaints procedures for staff or service users.
• Neglectful or poor professional practice.

Neglect and acts of omission

• Deteriorating despite apparent care
• Poor home conditions, clothing or care and support.
• Lack of medication or medical intervention

Self-neglect

• Hoarding inside or outside a property
• Neglecting personal hygiene or medical needs
• Person looking unkempt or dirty and has poor personal hygiene
• Person is malnourished, has sudden or continuous weight loss and is dehydrated –
• constant hunger, stealing or gorging on food
• Person is dressed inappropriately for the weather conditions
• Dirt, urine or faecal smells
• Home environment does not meet basic needs (for example heating or lighting)
• Depression

Appendix 3
What is ‘mental capacity’?

Whether a person has mental capacity is a matter of specialist assessment by social and mental health services. However, it may be useful to know something about it.

Mental capacity is the ability to make a particular decision. An adult may be at risk if they are unable to make a decision due to illness, disability, poor mental health, dementia, a learning disability or something else that may impair their judgment.

A person may be deemed to be ‘without capacity’ if they cannot:

• understand a decision
• retain information
• weigh up information
• communicate their decision

About matters such as

• finance
• social care
• medical treatment